Kris K

Mobile and friends, what brands (models) would you suggest and why? Trying to gather as many thoughts and oppinions from others to help me on this quest. I havent had the pleasure of auditioning alot of equipment, so Im asking my peers to help ( lend me your ears ),and what a better web site for such help. Im willing to spend no more than $2500 new.

Deang, Have you had any problems with your Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp? I went to Audiogon and a few reviewers said that they had problems because its processor failed and would not let the unit function at all. Some posts also said that this preamp tends to sound lean with the bass. Do you find this to be true? The Bryston brings plenty of welcomed bass to the KLF30's so this might be minimal. How is the warranty and is it transferable if bought used? If I were to buy new, I would take a hour drive to Canada and save myself money. The U.S. dollar is worth more than the canadian dollar; and because this is made in Canada you do not pay taxes or duty......thanks to Nafta Thanks, Kris

Thanks for all of your replies. Tubed preamp seems the only way to go. Yes there are great sounding SS preamps out there that do not sound electronic but they would cost much more than Im willing to pay. When buying a used tubed preamp is there any way to tell the conditions of the tubes themselves such as age, use ? ( if they should be placed ). I never have owned any tubed gear would know the first thing about this. Also, do each different manufacturer and their models of tubes have different sound qualities ? How do you know what to buy? Keep trying until you found what your happy with? A inexpensive tube(s) is alot easier to shelve than a costlier set. Is there any place to read up on tubes and their sound qualities? Thanks, Kris

Deang, I agree with you about Audiogon, I have been browsing there for well over a year and yes there are deals to be had. Im just now feeling the awful itch to raise my musical pleasure to the next level. Thanks again, Kris P.S. I live just north of you next to Lake Erie and if you invited me to listen to the Sonic Frontiers I might not turn you down.

Mobile, thanks for your input. I came back from the only high end stereo store we currently have here where I live.They carry Adcom, Macintosh, Sunfire. I was asked how I like to listen to my music and I said that on many ocassions when everybodys gone, I will get loose with the volume and let the neighbors enjoy my music also. Then the Adcom is the fisrt one to overlook he said. If the Adcom is a Stereophile class A choice then why are so many for sale used on the net at a much lower cost? Wasnt impressed with the Sunfire although it is tubed. So what was left for my choices is Macintosh. Are Macs getting close to tube like sound ? I can purchase a C-40 demo for around $1375. I might take it home on saturday at the end of their business day and return it monday morning to demo the unit. The last thing I want to do is fall in love with the first new preamp that I bring home. I dont have a large choices here where I live, so I either travel out of town and possibly face the same conditions or look to my peers for helpful suggestions. Thanks, Kris

Guy, I have thought about both the Bryston BP20 and the BP25. The amp came book or magazine with various reviews from different publications and many talk about the perfect match that the combo of Bryston amp/preamp make together. I dont know if this true,Ive never listed to both paired up. Has anyone listened to both and what were your thoughts?

Mobile homeless what did you like and dislike about the Audio Research LS-7 ? Ive never listened to one so Im going on what others have to say. Audioreview.com has good feedback on this model. I have found one for sale about a hour or longer drive from me.The asking price is $600 OBO. Could this be a deal ?

I dont have a problem with used equipment.My needs are for 2 channel. Remote doesnt matter Thanks ,Kris

Sorry,I left out some important info. Im looking to spend no more than $1500, but those numbers could be pushed a little higher. Many years ago I would have spent without guilt, but today with a wife and 3 teenagers its a different story. I normally listen to rock; from Hendrix, Skynyrd, to Allan Parsons, Steely Dan, Dave Matthews. I also enjoy some of my wife music such as Enya, Dave Coz, Sarah McLachlan. I have a few hundred albums, but I retired them and the B+O turntable to the closet, and have grown a collection of cds. I could do without a phono stage for now, but Im thinking of a new TT (at a later date ). The KLF30's brought the music out, things that I never heard before in my system and Ilove them. Now the Bryston is showing me how the older NAD preamp is constraining the music, holding back a true enjoyful listening experience. Thanks, Kris

Im in need of some help.I have recently purchased a new Bryston 4Bst amp,that replaced a old and outdated Phase Linear amp.The Bryston is showing me what my preamp is lacking ( 15yr old NAD ).Im looking at the Mcintosh or Rogue Audio line. I feel that im robbing the amp and KLF 30's from lack of good upstream data. How do the newer Mac preamps rate to those only a few years young? Should I look to tubes or SS? Are there Klipsch owners with a Bryston amp and if so what are you using for a preamp? Need some help where to start looking. Thanks,Kris

Rennocneb, The Nad 218THX gets the nod from Stereophile as a class "C" amp; it has its downfalls but at $1199 msrp its not all bad. For a few extra bucks on used market you can buy a Bryston 4BST, which is Class "B" by Stereophile and will pass the Nad up in power, slam, dynamics, sound staging....and the 20 year warranty is trasferable. Of course being a salesman, you wouldnt tell someone that they can buy a used product on the open market at a much better deal. The Sunfire amps are a question mark here.Yes they do have raw power but that is what Bob Carver has lived on for many years....raw(high)power at a low cost. Phase Linear, Carver, Sunfire it seemed that all followed in each others foot steps. My first amp was a Phase Linear Dual 500II and it took me many years to part with it, a classic yes........audiophile amp no.......just my two cents

Ray,I would also agree that you could not go wrong with the Bryston 4B-ST.Check out the reviews at www.audioreview.com .Amp has a 20year transferable warranty. P.S. I live in Ohio and looked into buying one brand new in Canada;I would be saving over $400 by taking the hour drive north.Whats stopping me is the wife and the long wait coming back in the country(mainly wife).Ive seen many selling on Ebay for more than what I can purhase one new.

For those of you with a Phase Linear amp- Klipsch speaker setup,how do you like the combination of them both?What are the components your are using? My current setup consists of the Klf30's and a Phase Linear Dual 500 ll amp. I have owned this amp since the 80's when I bought it new.There is plenty of punch with 500w/channel,but I feel that there might be a more suitable amp to compliment the 30's with the same punch or better( or maybe Im getting the itch to buy something new). I was thinking at auditioning the Bryston 4Bst.I can by this amp for nearly the same price that I paid for the Phase Linear 20years ago. Comments ....suggestions? Love the Phase but should I sell it? Kris

Hammer,thanx for your feedback.My Phase Linear Dual 500 II in its day was a monster at 500watts/channel.I would love to hear how the Bryston's 500 is capable of doing to the KLF 30's. Did you purchase your Bryston's in Canada? And if so did you save money? How easy is it bringing such a purchase back across the border.I live 90 minutes south of you and was thinking of buying one in Canada (4B st) Kris

I am considering the purchase of a Bryston 4Bst.The reviews(posts from owners)that I have read say that this amp has the tendency to be very foward and in your face type of sound.They also say that this amp has superb low end;which could only benefit the 30's low end punch. Would using the Bryston be over kill since the 30's also have a foward sound quality? The combination of the two be fatiguing? Has anyone used the both together? If so what type of preamp are you using...SS or tube? My current amp is a Phase Linear Dual 500 II that I bought new in the mid 80's.Should it stay or go? P.S. Is it true that the Bryston takes a extremely long time to break in.......much longer than most new equipment? Kris